Safe-t cup lid

ABSTRACT

A closure lid for a beverage drink container in which a door panel secured at an underside of the lid includes a boss protruding through an opening cut in the lid for forward or rearward motion in opening and closing a slotted window through which the beverage in a container would be dispensed upon tilting the container at an angle.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This Application is in accordance with a Provisional Patent Applicationfiled Nov. 17, 2003, as Ser. No. 60/520,568.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Research and development of this invention and Application have not beenfederally sponsored, and no rights are given under any Federal program.

REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX

NOT APPLICABLE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to take-out beverage drink containers, ingeneral, and to the purchase of containers of hot coffee or tea “to-go”,in particular.

2. Description of the Related Art

As is well known and understood, when purchasing a hot beverage, one isprovided with a cup which holds its contents, and with a plastic lid tocover the opening of the cup. Although some lids prevent access to thehot beverage within unless the lid is first removed from the cup, mostof the lids used today allow the sipping or drinking of the beveragethrough a slotted opening in the cover while still on the cup. Whiledifferent constructions are available, for the most part all of themutilize lids with cut-outs intended for the user to break a tab on thelid, and to then fold it back in allowing the beverage to be consumed.

As will be readily appreciated, however, sipping or drinking from thecup is very difficult to do while walking; also, while driving, as thevehicle bumps along the road surface, or traverses hills or valleys.Where the coffee or tea is still very hot, the spillage which results iswell able to cause burns on one's body, along with the associated paininvolved. Whether the beverage is hot or cold, furthermore, the spillagesoils the clothing, or the interior of the vehicle where the drinking isbeing done. But, even if the drinker is being exceedingly careful so asnot to spill the contents on his/her body or on the interior of avehicle, such folding back of the tab allows its contents to cool overtime. Although some lids are constructed to have a mechanism whichallows the tab to be bent back and locked into a space provided on thetop of the cup lid, experience has shown that to be a cumbersome andcomplicated task for having to repeatedly bend back the tab to take asip, and then return it to position to be locked on the cup lid.

As will be become clear from the following description, the Safe-t cuplid of this invention both allows the drinker to avoid spilling thecontents while walking or driving, while keeping the coffee or teahotter for a longer period of time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

As will become clear from the description below, a slotted window is cutinto the cup lid, and a panel door is provided to slide the windowopened or closed under finger actuation. In particular, when a sip is tobe taken, the finger slides the door open, and when the sip is finished,the finger simply slides the door to close the window.

Thus, a closure lid for a beverage drink container embodying theinvention includes a top side, an underside, a slotted window cutthrough the top and underside inwardly from an edge surface of the lid,a first pair of grooved tracks raised from the underside and spanningopposing sides of the window, a panel door at the underside fitted toslide within the grooved tracks for selectively opening and closing thewindow as desired, and a boss or button on the door protruding throughthe window for finger actuation in operatively sliding the door forwardand back in allowing dispensing of the beverage drink through theslotted window upon tilting the beverage drink container at an angle. Insuch preferred embodiment, the closure lid is selected of a differentmaterial composition than the beverage drink container, and of adimension to snugly fit over the beverage drink container lip.Preferably, the panel door and boss are of a 1-piece molded plasticcomposition, as is the first pair of grooved tracks in which the door iscaptured and along which it slides. The closure lid, in this respect,may be constituted of plastic.

While the closure lid of the invention is suitable for use with both hotand cold beverage drink containers, it will be appreciated to beespecially useful in consuming hot coffee or tea. To ensure optimumoperation and minimize even further any possibility of spillage, asecond pair of grooved tracks are provided, co-linear with the firstpair of grooved tracks and situated inwardly of them along the undersideof the closure lid, with similar grooves to allow the panel door to beslid forward and back by finger pressure. Also constructed of a 1-piecemolded plastic composition, this second pair of grooved tracks issupplemented, further, by an additional track raised inwardly of thissecond pair, at an angle with respect to it so as to limit the extent offorward movement of the door. The “stop” thereby provided limits themaximum amount of beverage which can be dispensed at any one angle ofcontainer tilt. As with the other component parts of the closure lid,the raised track may also be constructed of a molded plasticcomposition.

In use, then, the finger slides the panel door to open the slottedwindow that desired amount to allow the hot coffee or tea beverage to besipped or drunk. The finger then slides the panel door to close thewindow, to prevent possible accidental spillage, while serving toclose-off the container from the elements; this retains the warmth ofthe beverage for an increased time than characterizes the prior artconstructions available today.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features of the present invention will be more clearlyunderstood from a consideration of the following description, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1-5 are helpful in an understanding of the construction of theclosure lid of the invention and the advantages it affords.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a top view of the closure lid of the invention as having atop surface 12, a slotted window 14 and a boss 16 atop a panel door 18in position where the slotted window 14 is closed by the door. FIG. 2shows the same view of the closure lid where the boss 16 moves the paneldoor 18 forwardly in the direction of the arrow A to slightly open theslotted window 14 as at 20, where a tilting at an angle of a beveragecontainer allows a dispensing of its contents through the opening 20.FIG. 3 shows the closure lid with the boss 16 moving the door 18 stillfurther forward, in providing a larger opening 22 to allow a greateramount of liquid beverage to be dispensed upon tilting the container.Reference numeral 24, in this respect, represents an edge surface at theunderside 26 of the closure lid (FIG. 4) in snugly fitting onto the lipat the top of the container (not shown). In a preferred embodiment, theboss 16 and the panel door 18 are fabricated of a 1-piece molded plasticcomposition. The top and underside surfaces of the closure lid may befabricated of plastic, as a different material composition than thebeverage drink container.

FIG. 4 also illustrates first and second pairs of grooved tracks raisedfrom the underside 26 of the closure lid, downwardly in the directioninternal of the beverage drink container once placed into position. Suchpairs of grooved tracks 28L, 28R and 30L, 30R span opposite sides of theslotted window 14, with the grooves being spaced as in FIG. 5 to receivethe panel door 18 and to allow it to slide within the grooves in thedirection of the arrows A and B, forwardly and back thereby opening andclosing off the slotted window 14. Although one pair of grooved tracks28L, 28R may be sufficient where a “cold” beverage fills the drinkcontainer, a second pair of grooved tracks 30L, 30R inwardly thereof ispreferable for a “hot” beverage in further capturing the panel door 18as finger actuation opens and closes the slotted window 14 incontrolling the amount of beverage to be dispensed. To further limit theamount of liquid content that can be dispensed, an additional raisedtrack 32 extends inwardly from the underside 26 at an angle with respectto the grooved tracks to limit how far forwardly in the direction of thearrow A the panel door 18 can be slid. (Such raised track 32 is shown ata 90° angle to act as a “stop” if trying to open the panel door 18 toofar.) In this embodiment, the raised track 32—as well as the first andsecond pairs of grooved tracks 28L, 28R and 30L, 30R—may be constructedof a molded plastic composition.

Because the panel door 18 and its boss 16 are of a 1-piece moldedplastic unit, the boss 16 will be seen as to not break away or becomeloose from the panel door 18 in usage; this allows for repetitivesliding movement of the door 18 forward and back until the drinkbeverage in the container is consumed.

As thus described, the closure lid will be seen to be round andconforming to the beverage cup design. The closure lid's window cut-outallows for the consumption of the beverage within, whether “hot” or“cold”. The opening in the closure lid represented by the slotted window14 is selected sufficiently long to permit the free and unimpeded motionof the finger panel door 18 to open and close. And, the slotted window14 extends from a fixed point near the center of the lid to the edge ofthe lid, thus allowing for one's lips to be placed at the edge of theclosure lid in slowly sipping the beverage.

The underside 26 of the closure lid incorporates the molded and raisedgrooved tracks to secure the panel door 18, with the grooves 40, 42being spaced sufficiently to ensure that the panel door 18 freely slideswhen finger actuated opened or closed (FIG. 5). Only a small degree offinger pressure is thus required, with the panel door 18 being selectedthin enough to both allow its snug fit within the grooves of the tracksand to allow a free gliding through in permitting an easy dispensing ofthe beverage once the container is tilted at an angle for sipping ordrinking its contents.

While there have been described what are considered to be preferredembodiments of the present invention, it will be readily appreciated bythose skilled in the art that modifications can be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the teachings herein. For example, althougha preferred construction of the invention is one where the closure lidis of dissimilar material composition than its beverage container towhich it snugly fits, it will be understood that the two could befabricated of the same plastic material to have a more permanenttake-out beverage container combination, as compared to one which couldbe disposed of after single use. For at least such reason, therefore,resort should be had to the claims appended hereto for a trueunderstanding of the invention.

1. A closure lid for a beverage drink container, said closure lidcomprising: a top side, an underside, a slotted window cut through saidtop and underside inwardly from an edge surface thereof, a first pair ofgrooved tracks raised from said underside and spanning opposing sides ofsaid window, a panel door at said underside fitted to slide within saidgrooved tracks for selectively opening and closing said window asdesired, and a boss on said door protruding through said window forfinger actuation in operatively sliding said door forward and back inallowing dispensing of beverage drink through said slotted window upontilting the beverage drink container at an angle.
 2. The closure lid ofclaim 1, constructed of substantially different material compositionthan the beverage drink container.
 3. The closure lid of claim 1,constructed of substantially different material composition than thebeverage drink container, and of dimension to snugly fit over a top lipof the beverage drink container.
 4. The closure lid of claim 3,constructed of a plastic composition.
 5. The closure lid of claim 1,wherein said panel door and said boss are of a 1-piece molded plasticcomposition.
 6. The closure lid of claim 1, wherein said first pair ofgrooved tracks are of a molded plastic composition.
 7. The closure lidof claim 1 for a hot beverage drink container including a second pair ofgrooved tracks raised at said underside, spanning said opposing sides ofsaid slotted window and through which said door panel is fitted toslide, with said second pair of grooved tracks being co-linear with saidfirst pair of grooved tracks and situated inwardly thereof along saidunderside.
 8. The closure lid of claim 7, wherein each of said first andsecond pairs of grooved tracks are of molded plastic composition.
 9. Theclosure lid of claim 1, further including a track raised inwardly ofsaid first pair of grooved tracks at said underside, and at an anglewith respect thereto to limit forward sliding movement of said paneldoor.
 10. The closure lid of claim 7, further including a track raisedinwardly of said second pair of grooved tracks at said underside, and atan angle with respect thereto to limit forward sliding movement of saidpanel door.
 11. The closure lid of claim 9, wherein said first pair ofgrooved tracks and said further included raised track are of moldedplastic composition.
 12. The closure lid of claim 10, wherein said firstand second pairs of grooved tracks and said further included raisedtrack are of molded plastic composition.
 13. A closure lid for a hotbeverage drink container comprising: a top side, an underside, a slottedwindow cut through said top and undersides inwardly from an edge surfacethereof, a first pair of grooved tracks raised from said underside andspanning opposing sides of said window, a second pair of grooved tracksraised at said underside and spanning opposing sides of said windowsituated inwardly of said first pair of grooved tracks along saidunderside, a panel door at said underside fitted to glide within saidfirst and second pairs of grooved tracks for selectively opening andclosing said window as desired, a boss on said door protruding throughsaid window for finger actuation in operatively sliding said doorforward and back through said first and second pairs of grooved tracksin allowing dispensing of beverage drink through said slotted windowupon tilting the beverage drink container at an angle.
 14. The closurelid of claim 13, constructed of substantially different materialcomposition than the beverage drink container.
 15. The closure lid ofclaim 13, wherein said panel door, said first and second pairs ofgrooved tracks, and said boss are each of a molded plastic composition.16. The closure lid of claim 13, also including a track raised inwardlyof said second pair of grooved tracks at said underside, and at an anglewith respect thereto to limit forward sliding movement of said paneldoor.
 17. The closure lid of claim 16, wherein said first and secondpairs of grooved tracks, said panel door, said boss and said raisedtrack are each of molded plastic composition.
 18. The closure lid ofclaim 1, constructed of substantially the same material composition asthe beverage drink container.
 19. The closure lid of claim 1,constructed of substantially the same material composition as thebeverage drink container and of dimension to snugly fit over a top lidof the beverage drink container.